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Here are a few pictures of Insuk's Wang Kong runner beans that I started from seed this spring. I started 12 seeds in cups and all germinated. I planted some in my GH to grow up a trellis. And the rest I planted out in the garden to climb up a pole. (unfortunately something ate a couple down to the nub!) The flowers/blossoms and seeds are beautiful! The flowers are more of a fluorescent red/orange color when in bloom. I did have one white flower bloom on one plant. I am getting some little beans now on the plants! This is my first time growing them. I have not seen any hummers on them yet! (Fortex pole bean in foreground)

So would you be eating these strictly as dry beans, or can you eat while they are still string beans? Thank you for posting the pics, I have never seen or grown these before but I am familiar with the name. If I am not mistaken, I was going to order them once a couple of years ago but the site was sold out and I didn't bother looking around. They are so pretty, I would use them in my front yard.

IWK can be eaten as snaps when young, before the pods show bulges. I even snack on them raw, they are sweeter raw than many common snap beans. The beans are fairly good eaten as shellies, when the seeds are fully grown in the pods but not yet dry. The original source said he used the mature seed as dry beans, but I've never tried that.

Here is a shot where the beans are more mature. Zeedman, the pods are flat and about four inches long. Ready to eat at this stage? I should go back out and pick one and eat it. How do you cook the pods as snaps, at this stage? Stir fry?? Saute in olive oil and bacon??

They are beautiful! Sorry that the hummers haven't discovered them - yet. Hopefully, they will.

Linda

Linda, I just discovered a few hummers on the beans early this morning. Out in the garden and one in my GH. I took a picture of the hummingbird inside my GH with my phone. but, unfortunately I am having problems uploading them from computer. I will try later. Thank you!

So would you be eating these strictly as dry beans, or can you eat while they are still string beans? Thank you for posting the pics, I have never seen or grown these before but I am familiar with the name. If I am not mistaken, I was going to order them once a couple of years ago but the site was sold out and I didn't bother looking around. They are so pretty, I would use them in my front yard.

peebee, I hope to let a few mature in the pods and let dry so I can save some seeds to plant next season, and to share!

The flowers are so pretty on those beans. I wonder if they would grow well here.

I do know in the south you would need to plant the seeds as early in the spring as possible. I would start the seeds indoors a few weeks or so before planting. If the temps get too hot, you should still at least get the flowers. Not sure about the beans. Maybe someone from your area will chime in..

Here is a shot where the beans are more mature. Zeedman, the pods are flat and about four inches long. Ready to eat at this stage? I should go back out and pick one and eat it. How do you cook the pods as snaps, at this stage? Stir fry?? Saute in olive oil and bacon??

The smaller pod in the foreground appears to be at the best stage for eating as a snap, the ones behind it are a little too old. The pods do develop fiber as they enlarge, so they are best picked small. "Small" is relative, depending upon the weather where they are grown... in my quick-to-warm summers, the pods are shorter, and I harvest at about 3-4"; but in a cool Maritime climate, they could be longer in snap stage. The young pods eaten raw had no trace of strings for me, and were quite pleasant.

IWK had a bumper crop for me last year, but I'm growing Gigandes and Tucomares Chocolate runner beans this year. TC has really beautiful flowers, bi-colored pink & red... the hummers have been all over them.